ANCHORAGE SCHOOL DISTRICT
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA
TO: SCHOOL BOARD
FROM: DR. JHARRETT BRYANTT, SUPERINTENDENT
SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF THE 6TH GRADE TO MIDDLE SCHOOL TRANSITION PLAN
ASD Core Value: The District will be open, transparent, and accountable to the public.
RECOMMENDATION:
It is the Administration’s recommendation that the School Board approve a two-year transition of remaining elementary 6th graders to comprehensive middle schools.
PERTINENT FACTS:
Currently, three of ASD’s ten comprehensive middle schools support 6th grade students: Begich, Clark, and Mirror Lake middle schools.
The move of 6th graders to middle school is not a short-term cost savings for the District; however, it is viewed as a long-term benefit for students.
Transitioning 6th graders to middle school is a daunting task that impacts all departments in ASD. Allowing for a two-year roll-out will allow all stakeholders to be involved with planning and implementation. This move will affect most of our elementary and middle schools, transportation, staffing, finance and budgeting, student nutrition, curriculum, IT, facilities and maintenance, scheduling, communications, school boundary lines, professional development, and many other issues.
The impact to each sending/receiving school is extensive. To ensure a smooth transition and to help mitigate risks, planning for the 6th grade to middle school should be completed over the course of the 2023/24 school year, with implementation for the 2024/25 school year.
2023/24 (Year 1): Planning for implementation
2024/25 (Year 2): All (comprehensive) 6th grade students move to middle school
JB/JA/AR/MF/ML/SG/KJ
Prepared by: Kersten Johnson, Senior Director Secondary Education
Sven Gustafson, Chief Academic Officer
Approved by: Jim Anderson, Chief Operating Officer
Andy Ratliff, Chief Financial Officer
Mike Fleckenstein, Chief Information Officer
Martin Lang, Chief Human Resources Officer